Officials in New York City announced that migrants living in temporary shelters do not require vaccinations to initially enroll in the city’s public school system. However, there is a specific timeframe for these students to obtain the required vaccinations once they are in school.
Since July 2022, approximately 19,000 students living in temporary housing have enrolled in city schools. The NYC Schools Chancellor, David Banks, assured that there is enough capacity to accommodate these migrant children who have arrived in the city.
According to the New York City Department of Education, the general vaccination requirement for all students aged 2 months to 18 years attending public, private, or child care schools is in place. However, there are situations where a child can attend school if they have received the first dose of a vaccine that requires multiple doses.
Religious exemptions for mandated vaccines are no longer allowed, as stated by the city’s department of education.
Banks mentioned that the education department is working on a strategy to prevent an overwhelming concentration of migrants in specific areas. They noted that some schools have a higher number of migrant students due to the location of temporary housing. Efforts are being made to address this imbalance.
It is important to note that this information does not mention any specific sources or individuals interviewed during the press conference.